In Aelras, there are various theories regarding the origins of vampires. The two most credible ones are as follows: The first theory posits that vampires are descendants of an evil god. This narrative is fervently promoted by vampires themselves, as it allows them to claim a lineage that traces back to divine beings, which explains why they often present themselves as nobility. Undeniably, in many instances, vampires do exhibit noble traits—dressed elegantly, speaking with precision, and relishing in luxury. Of course, whether they maintain their politeness while indulging in human blood is a matter of debate.
The second theory, prevalent among mages, suggests that vampires are merely the byproducts of experiments conducted by the great archmages of the Nesser Era. Due to a lack of effective control, these experiments went awry, leading to the emergence of a new race. This theory is deemed credible because it builds upon the formidable reputation of those masters from the previous era, who were known to challenge the gods and could accomplish extraordinary feats.
Regardless of the origin, vampires must feed on blood. Upon awakening, Fars's first reaction was not to examine the egg resting on the platform that had caused his demise, but rather to acknowledge his hunger—he was indeed very hungry. Fars himself was uncertain how long he had been transformed after death, but the decaying corpses scattered around him suggested that it had likely been years.
Typically, the process of turning someone into a vampire takes only a few days, though the duration can vary based on the extent of physical damage at the time of death, the strength of the vampire performing the transformation, and the purity of their blood.
Fars's body had been struck by a legendary spell. Although it hadn't hit him directly, it had merely "scraped" him. Fars had perished. Fortunately, the spell was not of the transmutation type, which would have caused direct physical destruction. Instead, it functioned like a mental spell commanding death, striking at the spiritual level. The specifics of the spell were beyond Fars's understanding, given that he had only recently graduated from being a low-tier mage. Legendary spells are unique to each legendary mage, and many are lost upon their death. Without the mage's spellbook, identifying the spell is nearly impossible.
Fars attempted to meditate to check if his magical power remained. Thankfully, while the nature of his magic seemed altered, it was still present. In fact, it had even increased slightly, reinforcing Fars's belief that despite becoming a vampire, his lineage remained noble. However, perhaps due to the mental trauma he had suffered, his mental strength had diminished significantly.
He tried to move his body, testing whether he possessed the famed agility and night vision associated with vampires. After years of inactivity, his body creaked and cracked as he ran a few steps, but he found himself considerably stronger than before. His physical prowess now seemed to match that of an apprentice assassin. Why compare himself to an assassin? Primarily because vampires typically favor agility and rarely engage in direct confrontations. As for why he only matched an apprentice level, it simply reflected that Fars's previous body had been a mere shell, drained by indulgence in wine and pleasures, and his years as a mage had only worsened his condition. After all, in his pursuit of rapid power enhancement, he had often resorted to various potions. Even the most nourishing elixirs can be detrimental to one's health.
Fars felt relieved that his body was still intact; if he had become a vampire and remained disabled, he might as well have sought a sunny spot to end it all.
However, after this moment of relief, he had to confront a significant problem: what to eat! He would certainly need to drink blood. This was an undeniable fact of being a vampire. The ruins around him were teeming with magical beasts, devoid of human presence. Was he really going to reserve his first meal for those furry creatures?
No, he needed to think again. Fars's gaze fell upon the corpses on the ground, but their decayed state was repulsive. The blood had long since dried up. However, Fars was not inclined to kiss the dried bloodstains on the ground; he would rather drink beast blood than engage in such a degrading act. Instead, he sought the corpse of the mage responsible for his death. Fars still had his eye on the storage ring on that mage's finger. As a now impoverished mage, he could not afford such an expensive magical item. Even a ring with a cubic space would cost tens of thousands of gold coins.
Eventually, he found the mage. Upon examining the cause of death, he discovered that the mage had been stabbed in the back. It seemed Fars had been fortunate to escape the spell, but greed had likely led to his demise at the hands of his former teammates. However, Fars was puzzled; if that were the case, surely someone must have survived. Why was the egg still on the platform? It didn't add up. The last survivor would have likely scoured the battlefield, taking the most valuable item with them. Did they all perish together? Fars was skeptical; something else must have occurred. But for now, his primary concern was ensuring he didn't starve.
Roughly, Fars yanked the ring off the unfortunate mage's hand, delivering a couple of kicks to the corpse for good measure. He then sat down on the ground, eagerly rummaging through his spoils. However, every storage ring bore the spiritual imprint of its original owner, and to open it, he would first need to erase that imprint.
"Why does it have to be a spiritual imprint?" Fars groaned in frustration.
In his previous life, as a mid-tier mage, Fars could have easily opened the ring by forcefully attacking its spiritual defenses. But now, his mental strength had waned, having fallen back to a low-tier level. Attempting to force it open would not be as straightforward. It would take days of meticulous effort to achieve that.
Defiant, Fars tried again and again until his head began to spin, finally stopping in exasperation. He was still hungry, and it seemed unlikely he would open the ring anytime soon. He needed to think of something else. However, Fars didn't hold out much hope for finding anything useful among the remaining corpses.
These adventurers had always prioritized their weapons and equipment, neglecting their clothing and food, so the only things left around the bodies were weapons and the spoils from this adventure. Their clothing had long since rotted away. The reason the last survivor hadn't dealt with these items remained a significant mystery in Fars's mind, but it was irrelevant to his current predicament, so he set it aside for later consideration.
Speaking of settling down, Fars was deeply troubled; returning to the human kingdoms was unlikely. He could have sought to join a vampire faction, but given his current strength, he would merely be cannon fodder. Fars was uncertain of his standing among vampires or what generation he belonged to. However, judging by his magical power, he was equivalent to a mid-tier mage, which should place him on par with a vampire baron. But his physical strength was another matter entirely. Have you ever seen a vampire noble dragging around a half-disabled body? Perhaps it was simply due to his recent transformation, and his body needed time to adjust.
Fars had previously entertained the notion that he might one day inadvertently need to transform into a vampire to save his life, but those thoughts had been mere fantasies. He had imagined countless lovesick maidens extending their delicate necks toward him, inviting him to drink deeply. Now, even if a dinosaur appeared, Fars would leap at the chance.
This ruin wasn't so bad; despite its dilapidated state, some areas remained intact. With a bit of tidying up, he could make it a home. Although it was desolate, that also meant it was safe. Magical beasts and other creatures wouldn't immediately attack a vampire on sight. They would rely on their instincts to judge; since vampires have a lower body temperature and lack the scent of living beings, their chances of survival in this so-called paradise for magical beasts were relatively high.
The biggest hurdle he faced was overcoming his psychological barrier. Did he really have to start by drinking beast blood?
Though Fars had never tasted human blood or beast blood, he instinctively felt that drinking human blood would be more befitting of a vampire.
When humans are hungry, they become irritable, and vampires are no different. Fortunately, he hadn't encountered any living creatures yet; otherwise, he would have pounced on them by now. Having reached this point, Fars resigned himself to the situation. This ruin had endured for an unknown length of time—perhaps over ten thousand years. Finding food here was a pipe dream, especially something a vampire would crave. Nevertheless, Fars resolved to explore the ruins once more, particularly the laboratory. Perhaps there were still some blood samples left over from experiments, regardless of the species. He would drink whatever he found.
When people can see, they typically don't consider whether it's because the lights are on. It was only when Fars passed a window in the corridor and saw the bright moon that he realized he had been in darkness yet could see as if it were nothing. This effect was akin to having dark vision. He marveled at the moon once more.
Fars remembered the layout of the ruins well, as they had meticulously searched this place before. He navigated through the twists and turns with ease, and with a powerful kick, he burst open a door nearby. This door had likely once been protected by a magical array, but now it was nearly kicked down by Fars. He couldn't help but marvel at the passage of time.
The laboratory was notably spacious, with a well-crafted experiment table at its center, made from a rare wood known as duskwood. This wood was expensive, strong, and durable. It was said that aged duskwood significantly enhances its magical conductivity, making it suitable for crafting wands. Initially, Fars and his companions had even considered trying to take the table with them, as it was an ancient artifact. However, its weight exceeded their expectations. Two high-tier warriors could lift the table with ease, but no one believed they could carry such a large item out of the mountainous region alive.
Against the wall stood a row of cabinets, each drawer haphazardly opened, revealing some bottles and jars, though they were all in disarray. Fars attempted to knock on the walls and stomp on the ground, hoping to uncover hidden mechanisms or secret compartments that might contain treasures. However, he was left disappointed. Still, having come this far, Fars remained convinced that his new territory (self-proclaimed) held endless treasures. This belief would later shape Fars's habits; he would hunt at night and sleep during the day, scouring the ruins for hidden riches. As a result, the already dilapidated ruins from the Nesser Era began to resemble those from ancient times.
Having somewhat resigned himself to his fate, he returned to the treasure chamber where he had awakened, his last hope resting on that egg. He wanted to see what it was; if it wasn't useful, he could always eat it, Fars wickedly thought.
The restrictions on the platform where the egg rested had been lifted, and Fars easily cradled the egg in his hands, tracing the mysterious patterns on its surface. Even a fool could tell that this egg was something special. Resisting the urge to consume it, he placed it back down. If the egg could hatch, that would be ideal; if not, he could always return to the human empire and sell it for a fortune.
Aside from the egg, there was also a scroll of parchment on the platform. Fars opened it and struggled to read a few lines in his rusty ancient Nesser. He finally learned about the egg's origin: it had been acquired by the mage during an expedition to the northern snowfields. Based on its characteristics, it was likely a phoenix egg, but due to prolonged exposure to the cold, it had gradually lost its vitality. However, it was not entirely dead; he just didn't know how to hatch it. The legendary mage had attempted to summon the fires of the earth to create an environment akin to a phoenix's nest, but he had failed. This scroll contained his research notes.
"So, it's an un-hatchable egg, huh? But since it's a phoenix egg, I'll keep it. This is the sacred and inviolable property of the great Fars, ha ha..." Overjoyed, Fars let out a howl of laughter. In these crumbling ruins, such laughter would surely frighten anyone nearby.
After laughing, Fars gained a clearer understanding of his current situation: he had this ruin, the egg, and an unopened storage ring. To survive, he needed to work hard to increase his strength. All of this hinged on Fars's ability to secure a sufficient blood source. Thus, our great Sir Fars prepared to embark on his first hunt under the cover of night.